Reading about criminal record check delays is nothing new. Although the DBS, which replaced the old CRB system in 2003 has been improving turnaround times, there could be a new issue on the horizon. This is all down to the government’s IT system, which is almost 17 years old. A project to replace it is running years behind. A government select committee thinks the system is creaking, and ready to break. So are they right, and could this affect the delivery of CRB certificates?
“Ageing Platform” for Delivery of CRB Certificates
OK, so the government’s IT system isn’t quite as old as the one in our image. But it’s not far off. The last major change to the UK’s criminal records checking system was back in 2003, when the Disclosure and Barring Service was created. At this point, they took over producing CRB certificates from the Criminal Records Bureau. A whole new computer system was installed along with the new DBS. But that was in 2002. A lot has changed in the market since then with smartphones and smarter ways of working. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) a cross party government agency, has raised very serious concerns about the way the modernisation of the IT system has been managed.
“4 years late and £230 million over budget”
The stand-out line from the PAC report is that the modernisation of IT at the DBS is running 4 years behind schedule. Had all gone to plan, the new system would be up and running by now. But it’s not, and even worse, the budget has been overspent by a staggering £230 million. There’s no light at the end of the tunnel either. This is because the government has fallen out with TCS, the technology company which was in charge of the modernisation. The ongoing Brexit negotiations are taking up hours of government time. So it’s unlikely that there is going to be much emphasis on resolving the matter any time soon.
Aims of Modernisation
The initial aims of improving the DBS checking system were sound. The main idea was to move away from the current system to apply for a CRB check, This involves filling in an application online, proving your identity to your employer or other organisation, and waiting for the certificate to appear in the post a few weeks later. The disadvantage to this system is the waiting for the certificate as many employers won’t let you start work without it.
The idea of the new IT system was to create a dynamic database, integrated with police computer systems across the UK. Like the current DBS Update service, once initially registered it would allow employers to search instantly for DBS information on applicants. This type of database would cut down on processing time both for employers, and for the DBS itself. It all sounds fantastic. But the project appears to have ground to a juddering halt. The government currently have bigger fish to fry, so we might be waiting for a shiny new IT system for quite some time to come.